Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery in the View of Tubular Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Abstract

Integration of technological advancements across multiple modalities enabled different surgical specialties to embrace various minimally invasive approaches. Such advancements related to spine surgery are gaining popularity due to focal nature of majority of the spine pathologies. Tubular retractors of various types and dimensions have proved their worth by giving very good results when used with either microscope or endoscope. They enable surgical decompression and fusion with minimal alteration of the normal musculoligamentous anatomy of back and have proven their versatility by delivering excellent outcomes for different conditions. The evolution of the techniques of full endoscopy opened new paths which seem promising to further refinement of spine surgery. This progress has brought us to the crossroads of either carrying out the satisfactory techniques of tubular retractors or to try something different by taking another steep learning curve and shifting to full endoscopic techniques. It has to be seen whether the transition to full endoscopic intervention is worth exploring new horizons by taking a longer trajectory of learning when similar advantages are being achieved by existing tubular techniques. In this report, we discuss the pathologies dealt with and the changing trends for developing to full endoscopic techniques under the experience of tubular endoscopic spine surgery.

Outcomes of Microscopic-Assisted Decompression Surgery Without Instrumented Fixation in Patients With Spinal Canal Stenosis and First-Degree Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Prospective Case Series

“…While several innovations and techniques exist to perform less invasive decompressions, including subarticular fenestration and multiple laminotomies [19][20][21], microscopic decompression [25,31] and tubular decompression [32][33][34][35], the aim of this study is to report our outcomes of microscopic-assisted decompression in first-degree symptomatic DS cases through over-the-top technique, particularly regarding clinical improvement and radiological progression of instability. Despite the presence of similar published reports regarding the same tech-nique [24][25][26], the existing prospective studies were few and the results were nonconsistent specially regarding slip progression.…”